Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-03-21
EARTHQUAKES.
An Eloquent and Instructive Dis
course ON Physical and Spiritual
Earthquakes.


Last evening the Rev. J. B. Thrall, OF
the Congregational Church, filed the
pulpit at the Methodist Church, Rev.
Carroll having taken his departure for
California. The subject of Mr.. ThralPs
sermon was Earthquakes" and was de-
livered with reference to the great earth
quakes that wrecked Charleston last
year. The sermon, of which we give
synopsis, was delivered in the preachers
usual eloquent and forcible style, and was
listened to with wrapt attention by a
large audience. After the usual open
ing services, Mr.. Thrall began his dis
course:
gested by the Recent Earthquakes. Text;
Heb II, 20 "Yet once again 1 shake not the
earth only, but also heaven"
An earthquake is Undesirable. A
city living in ruins does not adequately
present the notion of what an earthquake
really is. A column in the daily paper
or cartoon in an illustrated journal is
not the earthquake. An earthquake
like sorrow-must be experienced to be
understood.
A picture of security is a city OF quiet
homes and established Institutions The
sense of entire safety and peace stands
here in marked emphasis. But premo-
nitions Of danger appear. Birds and
beasts are disturbed and alarmed. III
omens are in the air. The atmosphere is
hot, still and sultry A low and distant
rumbling is heard. Rocking of the
earth. Evidences of the presence of
force invisible and uncomfortable are in
creasing. A terrible roar, that the ear
can not locate, now in the air, now be-
meath the ground; an explosion, shock
and city in ruins tumbling homes en-
piled of their tenants; city full of
people in the streets, running blindly
Tor some secure spot standing
still in apprehensive suspense and dread;
kneeling in wild supplication, calling for
help to the unseen God, whose power
they feel and fear, is the picture which
follows. The sense of insecurity and the
entire absence of confidence in the sta
bility Of that upon which all their hopes
and homes had been built, stand here
in marked emphasis.
1t is the want of confidence which
remains as the lasting result of an earth
quake. Ask one who has passed through
such a scene what distinguishes the
earthquake from every other physical
catastrophe. and it will be told you it is
the loss of confidence in the soliditv and
reliability of the searth. "The eternal
hills'' are no longer a figure of speech to
them. 1t is not the pain inflicted; a cut
or burn might infict equal pain. 1t is
not the loss of life; a pestilence or a war
might cause greater loss of life. 1t is not
the destruction of property and of homes;
a cyclone or confagration might destroy
these. But 1t IS the after loss of confidence
in the security and stability of all that
has hitherto been built upon.
Now earthquakes, both in their
phenomens and their results, have
spiritual analogies.
The frequency with which they are
mentioned in the Bible indicates this;
history and experience demonstrates it.
Moral and spiritual earthquakes are
more terrible in their manifestation and
more lasting in their effects than physi-
cal ones.
The Reformation was an earthquake in
which an old and substantial structure
the Papal system of Faith-fell
The civil was was an earthquake in
which the old institution of slavery
thousands of years old-went down. And
men lost confidence in that, and began
to build on the Rights of Man.
We hear to-day premonitory rumblings
that may precede the downfall of long
established structure-the Divine Right
of Kings and class distinction. New ideas
are ripening; perhaps for a harvest of
destruction. New ideas are ripening to
force mankind and build a new order of
social civilization on the doctrine of SELF
government and the Golden Rule of Love.
What a picture of security is throne
like that Of the Gar. Inherited like it's
very name, from Imperial Caesar! Thou
sands of years old is this Muscovite and
Dynasty. Built on centuries of prece-
dent; and sanctioned by millions of
armed men. Yet few pounds of dyna-
mite temporarily overthrow it in the per-
son of the late Nicholas, land his successor
lives in constant suspense. Uneasy
lies the head that wears a crown"
What picture Of security and earthly
bliss is happy and contented home,
father, mother and children rejoicing in
each others love! Yet a few degrees of
caloric, tainted breeze, or an unforeseen
accident, has tumbled it all about the
ears, andthe sense of security is gone,
forever gone.
What a picture of security is lifelong
reputation, yet single mistake, one
wrong step in an unguarded moment, or
the chance breath of scandal, may de-
stroy the fabric in a moment. Then
comes the loss of confidence. Men lose
confidence in their fellowmen, and repu-
tation seems a bubble, which a breath
may break. "Thou shalt have this
plague for thy dowry; Be thou as chaste
as ice, thou shalt not escape calumny."
God sends earthquakes into society.
They test systems of religion and civil
cation, and there is the same result and
the same necessity.
He sends earthquakes to test the lives
of individuals. Characters are tested,
faiths are tested. Reputation and self
respect are at first only partially lost. It